Cause of death?

Question
This morning she was fine but 2 hours later she was dead in her cage.  She ate all her pellets last night but not this morning.  She acted normal yesterday when I had her on my lap.  Could it have been the heat from yesterday?  There was water in her bottle.  Are blue lips a sign of anything other than death?  She's about a year old and was in good condition.

Answer
Hi Tom,

I am very sorry to hear about your rabbit passing so quickly.  I am sorry if your question has been around a couple days, I just had one of mine in the ER the last two days.

Heat can really take a healthy bunny down quickly.  They overheat very easily.  Over 75 degrees may be uncomfortable, over 85 can start getting deadly.  If she didn't drink much last night, she got dehydrated and went into shock (as the body pulled water out of the gut and blood) and passed away.  

It's never pleasant to think about the 'ways' of dying, but going into shock is probably the least painful, as they basically pass out, like going to sleep.  They don't feel pain.  The blue lips are a sign of shock but would appear after death.

The only way to have a chance to know for sure what really happened is a necropsy by a rabbit vet.  

Again, I am very sorry about your little one passing away.  I hope one day you will see her again.

Lee